Kurtley Beale shows he's the real deal for Wallabies selection

1. Kurtley Beale takes another step towards gold. Bernard Foley did well against the Lions – his restarts were largely excellent, and we know he can run, but it would be no surprise if Beale is the main beneficiary from Quade Cooper’s injury, at No.10 or No.12. He looks fit, he knows what the Test arena is all about, and Ewen McKenzie likes Beale as a playmaker.

In 2012, he wrote a column for Fairfax Media indicating Beale would be his choice at No.10 if Cooper was injured. Matt Toomua and Foley have emerged since then, but Toomua’s strong defence makes him a candidate for No.12. Form-wise, Toomua and Beale have their noses in front of a queue that includes Foley and Christian Lealiifano for those dual playmaker spots, and Beale’s understanding with Israel Folau is not likely to have gone unnoticed.

2. The Reds were not robbed. The table doesn’t lie after 14rounds. The Reds are the worst side in the competition to date, and any accusations that robbery is required to deprive them of a win lack depth. James Horwill’s outburst after the loss to the Rebels has been coming – some Reds players were lucky not be named by the frustrated Reds captain in the press conference following the defeat to the Crusaders – but although the emotion was understandable, targeting the match officials is wide of the mark.

Debate the role of the TMO until you are blue in the face – but the moment fingers go near eyes, as was clearly the case with Ed O’Donoghue on Scott Higginbotham, then the aggressor can’t be allowed to stay on the field. The Reds lost on Saturday because Tony McGahan’s Rebels side were better constructed, and that is a coaching issue.

3. Do the Brumbies have another gear? Their loss to the Cheetahs was an accumulation of micro events that went against them, including some tough calls. But it still raised questions about their ability to play more than one way. Even in the final quarter, chasing the game, Jesse Mogg and Matt Toomua were still going the boot.

The Brumbies don’t look particularly convincing when they have to go away from what they do so well – kick and pressure – and the referees are clearly looking very closely at Scott Fardy’s breakdown technique this year. On the plus side, Henry Speight was a ball of energy in his comeback match. He’ll walk into the Wallabies squad when he becomes eligible, although his tendency to go all-in for intercept plays is something to work on.

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4. The identity of this year’s champions is still no clearer. The tighter – and let’s be honest, scrappy – games over the past two rounds are a signal the players have started looking at that congested table and are beginning to play accordingly. No one, to my mind, is playing like champions, because what’s on offer now isn’t going to do the job come finals time. The Sharks are certainly hinting they could bring something more – we haven’t seen the best of Paul Jordaan or JPPietersen on attack this year – and we know the Chiefs can go to another level, but behind those two there are more questions than answers. If the Waratahs go to New Plymouth in two weeks and beat the defending champions, then start up that old bandwagon, but at present they are in a group of sides that in turn look impressive and then incomplete.

5. Winners and losers. Jake White, whose team makes up for in unity what it may want for subtletly, although halfback Cobus Reinach continues to look like a very good player. And while we are in the South Africans, store away the name of Cheslin Kolbe.

The new Stormers winger – who can barely be 80 kilograms but plays 15kg heavier, in the Gio Aplon mould – showed classy touches, outstanding footwork and committed defence against the Force. By contrast, Jesse Mogg may not have done enough to earn a Wallabies spot against the versatility of others who can play No.15 as well as across the back line. The Brumbies fullback is finding out, like the Crusaders, that there is a price for conservatism – it’s just not as obvious.